Anti-H1B Florida gubernatorial candidate claims arsonist targeted his house, set fire in yard

Florida gubernatorial candidate James Fishback claimed he was the victim of an arson attack after a fire broke out in his front yard on Sunday, NBC reported. According to his “Florida Fishback” campaign, he returned home to Madison and discovered that a fire had been deliberately set in his backyard. As he and his crew were working inside, flames reportedly spread towards the house. Madison County Fire Rescue responded to the scene and contained the fire before the home was damaged. His campaign condemned the attack. No arrests have been made in connection with the fire.Fishback also addressed the incident on his social media: “My team and I are OK. Yesterday, an arsonist tried to burn down my house in Madison. Tonight, I will host a gathering at my house. “Fishback is known for his strong opposition to the H-1B visa program. He vowed to take immediate action against H-1B holders doing state jobs if elected. He said he would lay off “every H-1B employee working in our state agencies before the sun sets on my first day as Florida governor.”He has also repeatedly called the H-1B system a “scam” that hurts Americans and takes away their jobs. He argued that companies use the visa to hire foreign workers instead of qualified domestic candidates, claiming that U.S. companies “refuse to interview” Americans and “hide job postings” to justify hiring H-1B holders. He called for the program to be repealed to prevent “cheap foreign labor” from entering the United States. Fishback tied his opposition to H-1B visas to personal experience, saying his mother lost her job in 2021 and was replaced by an H-1B worker. During a panel discussion on Fox, he said CEOs were not actually interviewing Americans and instead relied on foreign labor through visa programs.He also raised the issue in political debates, telling Ohio gubernatorial candidate and Indian-American MAGA leader Vivek Ramaswamy, “If H-1Bs can come here and steal our jobs and our dignity, there’s no American dream.”Fishback has previously proposed other controversial policies, including a “sin tax” of 50% of OnlyFans user revenue. James also feuded with OnlyFans model Sophie Rain over the issue. James Fishback is running for the Republican nomination in Florida’s 2026 gubernatorial race. His main Republican rivals include U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, former House Speaker Paul Rayner and Lt. Gov. Jay Collins, as well as candidates Charles Burkett and Bobby Williams. On the Democratic side, contenders include Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings and former U.S. Rep. David Jolly, who switched parties to run.